Jane Barratt Public Lecture

Public lecture by Dr Jane Barratt

How to Age Well: creating age-friendly environments to support healthy ageing

A public lecture by Dr Jane Barratt, Secretary General of the International Federation on Ageing

The world is rapidly ageing: the number of people aged 60 and over as a proportion of the global population is predicted to double from 11% in 2006 to 22% by 2050. In this public lecture where you too can learn the secrets of healthy ageing. Health and well-being are not only determined by our genes and personal characteristics but also by the environment into which we are born and live throughout the life course. The environment therefore plays an important role in influencing how we age and how we respond to disease, loss of function and other forms of loss and adversity that we may experience at different stages of life, and in particular in later years. Age-friendly environments foster health and well-being and the participation of people as they age.

They are accessible, equitable, inclusive, safe and secure, and supportive. They promote health and prevent or delay the onset of disease and functional decline. They provide people-centred services and support to enable recovery or to compensate for the loss of function so that people can continue to do the things that are important to them.

In this public lecture Jane Barratt presented the Age-friendly Cities, Communities and Environments framework and discuss the work done by the WHO and the IFA to support the creation of age-friendly environment in diverse settings around the globe. She will also re ect on changes that you can make in your organisation, your community and your personal life to build environments that foster active ageing, remove physical and social barriers to participation, and promote independence.

This public lecture is sponsored by the Government of Western Australia, The International Federation on Ageing and the UWA Institute of Advanced Studies.

Dr Jane Barratt is the Secretary General of the International Federation on Ageing (IFA). The IFA is a global point of connection of experts and expertise to help shape and influence age-related policy globally. She brings to her position over 35 years of public and private sector experience in public health, community and aged care, and ageing and disability. Dr. Barratt strives to strengthen relationships between government, NGOs, academia, and industry to influence policy and improve the quality of life of older people. She is a strong contributor to international dialogue on the social, political, cultural and physical environments that impact the lives and human rights of older people. Dr Barratt serves on national and international boards both public and private sectors including being the Chair, Standing Selection Committee of the Canadian National Centers of Excellence and former member of the Global Agenda Council on Ageing of the World Economic Forum.